20468: The Mercy of Allah Towards His slaves

How merciful is Allah, because I heard he loves you more than 70 mothers. Is that true? Please explain?

Praise be
to Allah.

Allah is the Most
Merciful, Most Compassionate, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show
mercy. His Mercy encompasses all things. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“… and My Mercy
embraces all things.” [7:156]

In Saheeh Muslim
it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has one
hundred parts of mercy, of which He sent down one between the jinn, mankind,
the animals and the insects, by means of which they are compassionate and
merciful to one another, and by means of which wild animals are kind to
their offspring. And Allah has kept back ninety-nine parts of mercy with
which to be merciful to His slaves of the Day of Resurrection.” (Muslim,
al-Tawbah, 6908)

It was narrated
that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Some
prisoners were brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him), and there was a woman among the prisoners who was
searching (for her child). When she found her child she embraced him and put
him to her breast. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said to us, ‘Do you think that this woman would throw her child in
the fire?’ We said, ‘No, by Allah, not if she is able not to.’ The Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Allah is more
merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child.’” (Agreed upon)

One aspect of the
Mercy of Allah to His slaves is that He sent the Messengers and revealed the
Books and laws to organize their lives according to the ways of wisdom, far
removed from hardship and difficulty. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And We have sent
you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the ‘alameen (mankind, jinn and all
that exists).” [21:107]

The Mercy of Allah
is what will admit His believing slaves to Paradise on the Day of
Resurrection. No one will ever enter Paradise because of his deeds alone, as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No one’s deeds
will ever admit him to Paradise.” They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of
Allah?” He said, “No, not even me, unless Allah showers me with His Mercy.
So try to be near to perfection. And no one should wish for death; he is
either doing good so he will do more of that, or he is doing wrong so he may
repent.”

[al-Bukhari,
Muslim]

So the believer
must remain in a state between hoping for the Mercy of Allah and fearing His
punishment, for Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

With regard to
your saying that Allah loves us more than seventy mothers, Allah knows best
concerning that. It is sufficient for us to know that the Mercy of Allah
encompasses all things. O Allah, have mercy upon us, O Most Merciful of
those who show mercy.